


Still Jack and Daniel Series 2 - No Yellow Brick Road 5 - Rainy Days

by Annejackdanny



Series: Still Jack and Daniel Series 2 - No Yellow Brick Road/Ghosts of the Past [3]
Category: SG-1 - Fandom
Genre: Fluff, Kidfic, M/M, slash-y
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-06
Updated: 2012-09-06
Packaged: 2017-11-13 16:32:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/505511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annejackdanny/pseuds/Annejackdanny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just a little fluff about rainy days, Irish blessings, Truth or Dare...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Still Jack and Daniel Series 2 - No Yellow Brick Road 5 - Rainy Days

**Still Jack and Daniel**

–

**No Yellow Brick Road**

**V**

**Rainy Days**

  
  


  
  


"Mine's going down faster, Daniel, you can't deny it."

"Just wait 'til mine gains more speed! Yes! It has almost reached the  bottom ! There it goes! I'm the winner!"

Daniel bumped his shoulder into Jack's and when Jack bumped back into him, he started to giggle and slid down from the couch by the window in the tree house.

"Who knew you'd get so giggly over a raindrop run," Jack teased him, his brown eyes sparkling with warmth.

"Living with you is rubbing off on me," Daniel grinned. He slid f urther down until he was sitting on the wooden floor, his legs outstretched in front of him, wriggling his toes which were stuck in woolen socks.

When there was a knock at the door, he jumped up and ran to open it.

Sam burst in, bringing a rush of cold March air and a fine spray of raindrops with her. She put the thermos on the table and got rid of her rain coat. Wiping a hand through her damp blond hair she let out a sigh. "Next time we won't pull straws about who gets the coffee and cookies from the house, sir."

Jack shrugged and smirked. "Worked for me, Major. Got the milk for Daniel?"

"It's your house. Next time you'll go," she muttered, pulling a bag of cookies and a bottle of milk from the pockets of her raincoat.

"It's Daniel's house, too," Jack grinned.

"Yes, but you won't let me run through this horrible rain. I might catch a cold," Daniel chirped.

"Right. Who wants a cranky sick you on his hands." Jack got up and walked over to the small cupboard to get out the mugs Daniel kept up here. There were also some plates and other things in the cupboard so they didn't have to drag everything over from the house every time they were up here. Of course they'd have to take the dirty dishes over to the house later.

"It doesn't look like it's gonna stop raining anytime soon," Daniel said. He climbed back on the couch, knelt on it and looked out the window. The sky was gray and the water poured down as if someone was emptying buckets from above. 

"Remember that planet with all the mud and water? The one where you thought weeds would grow out of your ears, sir?" Sam snatched a cookie from the bag and made herself comfortable on the couch, taking Jack's previous seat.

"There were several wet planets we explored. To which one are you referring, MajorCarter," Teal'c inquired. He was seated on the old recliner and had been reading the National Enquirer during Jack and Daniel's raindrop run. Daniel was still amazed about Teal'c's choice on how to learn as much as possible about Earth culture. As far as he knew Teal'c had read the Bible and some other religion related books. Then there were Simpson comics in his room at the SGC, provided by Jack of course. Jack had also clued Teal'c in on video games and the Nintendo. Teal'c had read some books about the great heroes like King Arthur, Alexander the Great and other important historical figures. Daniel assumed it was Sam who had helped Teal'c to figure out all the techie things in the beginning. Like how to use their computer, DVD player... anything. But aside from all the things his team mates had introduced him to over the last five years, he liked Oprah, The Jerry Springer Show and Martha's. And all those magazines of the Yellow Press. 

Before Sam could answer Teal'c, Jack raised his eyebrows and asked, "You mean the one where Daniel went down a mud slide and ended up in a slimy stinky bog? Or the one where you slipped in a puddle and landed face forward in another even bigger puddle of goo?" He placed the coffee mugs on the table. 

Sam scowled at him. "Actually, yes. What I remember mostly about it was when you went down the mud slide after Daniel and lost your cap in that gob - sir."

"Oh, wait, I remember that one, too! I'll never forget his face when he was laughing at me so hard that he took a wrong step and wooosh!" Daniel started to giggle again at the thought of a flabbergasted Jack O'Neill coming down that hill after him and then sitting in the gooey stuff next to Daniel, speechless for about a minute. Sam had stood atop the hill, open mouthed, and then Teal'c had called down and asked, "DanielJackson are you unharmed?" Daniel had yelled back, "Yes!" Then Jack had growled, "I'm fine, thanks for asking. I lost my cap." 

Daniel remembered how they had all erupted into hysterical laughter. Okay, they had tried to hold it in, but even Teal'c had smirked down at Jack and Sam had turned away from them, watching the mud puddles on the other side of the hills, her shoulders shaking with mirth.

"Ah, yes. I had to rescue Daniel, here," Jack muttered as he grabbed a chair and sat down astride, folding his arms on the backrest. 

"You were laughing your butt off," Daniel accused him, but couldn't stop laughing himself. 

"Were not," Jack bitched good naturally and held out his mug for Sam to pour him some coffee which she did, a smile on her face.

"Were, too." 

Sam shook her head at them. "Does this never get old between the two of you?"

"No," they both said, grinning at each other.

When they all had their coffee they sat there in comfortable silence for a moment. Outside the world was wet and windy. It had started two hours ago and once they had hastily carried all the remains of the barbecue into the house, they decided to wait out the rain in Daniel's tree house. Of course only Jack could be daring enough to host a barbecue in March. And only SG-1 could be so brave as to follow their fearless leader out on the deck, bundled up in thick sweatshirts and wind jackets to join him when he burned... err... grilled the steaks. Hey, they had saved the universe, chased Goa'uld and switched personalities with each other. A little cold couldn't keep them from having a barbecue on a Saturday afternoon, right?

That was what Jack had said when Sam suggested dinner inside the house. Take out maybe? Or Daniel cooking something nice?

So here they were, the rain drumming against the windows and splashing down from the leaves of the tree. They could have stayed in the house of course. 

"But where's the fun in that," Jack had asked and pointed out that Daniel hadn't had opportunity to invite them up here for quite some time due to the winter. The truth was probably that Jack wanted to try out the new battery powered portable camping heater he had recently gotten for Daniel. 

It actually worked fine and they could all get rid of their thick jackets and shoes by now.

They had played cards until Sam had been "chosen" by pulling straws to go over to the house to get coffee and cookies. Now her raincoat was drying over the back of the only other chair Daniel had. 

"If we were at the house we could play Scrabble," Daniel sighed, not really complaining though. It was nice to sit here with his friends and listen to the rain rushing in the trees.

"Ah, I'm not going," Sam said immediately.

O'Neill's eyes wandered to Teal'c, who didn't even look up from his magazine. "I think you would know best where your Scrabble game is located, O'Neill."

Jack sipped his coffee and didn't move from his chair. He shrugged. "I'm not good at Scrabble anyway. The Wretch here beats me all the time. It's not even funny anymore."

"That would be because I'm a linguist. And you... aren't," Daniel pointed out, pushing the glasses up his nose with one hand while he nibbled at the cookie he was holding in the other. 

"How about we play something else," Sam suggested. "Like... Battleships. Do you have pens and paper up here, Daniel?"

"Sure." He got up and looked for both on his shelf. 

"We could play dots and boxes, too," Jack suggested. Daniel heard him get up and knew his place at the couch would be taken right about... now. 

"I am unfamiliar with that game," Teal'c's deep voice was to be heard. 

Bringing back paper and pens to the small table in front of the couch, Daniel explained it to his friend. It was a mathematical game and could be played in four different levels. "But I'm not up for that, really," he said as he ended his explanation. Instead of taking Jack's chair, he simply wedged himself between Jack and Sam, wriggling until both of them scooted aside a little. 

"Okay. Truth or Dare," Jack said briskly, rubbing his hands.

"Uh, sir..." Sam started.

"I won't sing any Wizard of Oz songs," Daniel announced.

"Oh, I'll never hear the end of that, will I," Jack sighed dramatically. "Besides ... that was two years ago, you were drunk and chose dare. What can I say. This time you're not drunk so you can think first," Jack chuckled, ducking his head when Daniel cuffed him. 

His hand barely reached the short strands of silver hair though since he was more lying than sitting on the couch. And of course because he was still little. Even for an eight year old. They were measuring him on a regular basis and it wasn't as if he didn't grow. Janet kept telling him there was nothing to worry about. Just sometimes Daniel thought that if he was eight, why was he still looking seven. Two years ago when he had been able to get drunk, get laid and shave every morning, they used to play all sorts of silly games during team nights. When Sam and Teal'c had gone home they even practiced strip Scrabble a few times. Jack could talk Daniel into all kinds of stupid things after he'd had his second beer. Well, nowadays Daniel didn't have beer or wine and they would most likely never play strip games again. Not even after he got re-sized. 

But the memories of having to sing that song... Daniel started chewing on his bottom lip and a plan formed slowly in his head... If he could only.... 

"Okay, I'll start. Teal'c - Truth or Dare," Sam said bravely. She put an arm around Daniel and made herself more comfortable on the couch. 

"I will choose the truth. I do not believe I am able to do anything daring inside. And there are no donuts this time," the Jaffa replied.

Daniel smiled. They had played this on a snowy winter day in January and Jack had dared Teal'c to eat more than ten Donuts out of the big box he had brought with him. Teal'c almost always brought Donuts to team nights. And he was almost the only one who ate them. Well, since Daniel had a sweet tooth he would have one, too. And sometimes Jack snatched one. Sam mostly didn't eat them. If he thought about it the only dessert Daniel had ever seen her eat was blue jell-o. She was addicted to that stuff. Okay, popcorn and cookies, too, if that counted as dessert.

Of course Teal'c had managed around fifteen Donuts before he looked slightly stuffed.

Sam pursed her lips as she was thinking. Then she asked, "What was the most beautiful thing you ever saw in your life."

"That's a cliche question," Jack pointed out.

Sam just shrugged. 

Teal'c didn't even think about it. There was a smile conquering his eyes. "My son Ry'ak when he was born. I was in battle for Apophis then and did not get word about the birth until we reached Chulak. But it happened that I came home only hours after my wife gave life to him. He was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. And still is."

"Yeah," Jack said next to Daniel. "That's right."

Teal'c bowed his head. "Truth or dare, O'Neill."

Jack looked around the small room as if to figure out how many possibilities of daring things were in here. The tree house wasn't very big, but there was space for the couch, the recliner and a chair, a coffee table and a shelf where Daniel had books and board games. The small cupboard was kid sized as was the shelf. It was a comfy room. 

"Truth," Jack decided.

"Wait!" Daniel wriggled out from between Jack and Sam. He scooted over and hastily whispered something to Teal'c.

"Hey! No conspiracies in my team," came the mock annoyed voice from the couch.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow and nodded in his unique way of bowing his head. "I understand, DanielJacksonO'Neill." Turning to Jack he asked, "Do you fear to be dared, O'Neill?"

Daniel smiled at Jack's narrowing eyes as he assessed the question. He wouldn't turn down a challenge. Not Colonel O'Neill. No way, sir. He knew he was being set up, of course. But he would still play along just fine.

"Nope. Not afraid to be dared, T. Just try me next time," came the casual answer just as Daniel had expected it. 

"I will certainly do so, O'Neill."

"You do that, big guy. So... Daniel? Truth or Dare?"

"Ummm." Daniel was sure Jack's revenge would hit him next round. But it was worth it, all the way. "Truth," he said.

"Ah, let's see... share a story with us, Daniel. About Flyboy eating all that Latte Macchiato ice cream last week?" 

"Hey! That's not a fair question," Daniel pouted.

"And? So? Therefore?" Jack gave him a blank stare.

"You know damn well it wasn't the dog," he muttered, remembering how sick he had felt after sneaking into the kitchen at night and gobbling down half a box of ice cream. He had managed not to chuck it up, but Jack had to get up two hours later and put a hot-water bottle on his hurting stomach. It did help a little. The next morning the pain was almost gone, but Jack had only given him fennel tea and zwieback for breakfast. Still, Daniel had insisted it must have been Flyboy who had eaten the ice cream. Jack had wagged his eyebrows in a worried way and said that they should let Fraiser take a look at Dainel then. And take the poor dog to the vet since he must have had a hurting tummy, too. 

"So I knew I was busted. I mean I couldn't let Jack take Flyboy to the vet! He hates the vet with a passion," Daniel ended his story, glaring at Jack for making him tell this. It wasn't a big deal. Just Doctor Daniel Jackson O'Neill playing the kid again. 

While he had told his tale, Teal'c had left the tree house to follow the call of nature. Daniel dared Sam to walk around the coffee table three times with four books on her head. She managed to keep them all up there and Jack only tried to make her trip or laugh a few times. 

When she fell down on the couch again, laughing, the tree house door opened and Teal'c returned. He got out of his rain coat and then placed Daniel's small battery powered CD player on the table. "It is still raining outside. DanielJacksonO'Neill suggested bringing this with me for further entertainment."

"Oh, music. That's great," Sam said.

"I'm not gonna like this, am I?" Jack asked wearily and eyed the player.

Sam made Teal'c tell a Chulakian joke and explain it. Not even Daniel had any clue what their friend was talking about when he finally stopped laughing through his own explanation of that joke. 

Teal'c wasn't in the slightest offended that his Tau'ri friends didn't share the humor of Chulak. He just wiped the tears of laughter from his ebony colored cheeks and asked Jack the dreaded question.

"Truth or dare, O'Neill?"

Daniel had put the books back on the shelf and now stood there, watching his friend mulling it over in his head. He couldn't wait for the show to begin. It would be so much fun. 

"If I'd say truth you'd think I lied before, right," Jack muttered. "So dare me. But I won't sing anything. You can forget that right now. I'm not drunk and there's no Urgo sitting in my head. So, no singing."

"It is not singing I will dare you to do. I am daring you to show us an Irish jig," Teal'c said, his face not giving away anything.

Jack gaped. Then he snorted. "What?"

"An Irish jig," Daniel repeated, grinning widely. "You know one of those traditional Irish dances they do on weddings and other celebrations. It's a very old variant of step dance. It goes way back to the Gaelic and even Celts. There are references to the jig in ancient Ireland. A number of variations of the jig are performed including..."

"Alright, hold it. I know what a jig is. And I'm so not gonna do it. What makes you think I could do it in the first place," Jack snapped. 

"DanielJacksonO'Neill informed me that you are capable of doing so. He said you did it once on St. Patrick day," Teal'c said. 

"I had a gallon of green beer then! I can't remember a thing."

"Hey, you made me sing Ding Dong the Witch is dead," Daniel interrupted. "And you chose dare, so you have to do it." 

"Daniel, that was two years ago," whined Jack.

"And? So?" Daniel crossed his arms over his chest. "I am still trying to get over the trauma."

"Yeah, right. I'm not dancing. Let's play something else."

"Sir, this was your idea. Besides, Daniel is right. You chose dare. You can't just skip out of it now," Sam said, hiding her grin behind her coffee mug.

Jack huffed and shook his head. "Nope. Not gonna happen. Say something else, T."

"I am not aware there are multiple choices in this game," Teal'c said.

"There are not. If you don't want to dance you have to choose truth. And you'd be a liar because you said before you weren't afraid of being dared," Daniel pointed out triumphantly.

"It was a set up all along," Jack growled. "And that's against the rules, too."

"But Jaaaack," Daniel said, using his best disappointed whine and biggest blue eyes. "Don't be a spoil sport."

"Don't you get all cute on me, Mister I'm-thirty-something-years-old Jackson O'Neill," Jack sneered.

"Jack! Why is that such a problem for you? This is your... heritage! It's where your ancestors come from. Generations of O'Neill's probably knew how to do an Irish jig. It's... it's nothing more than showing us part of your history. You are, after all, Irish," Daniel said passionately.

"So? You are big in the cultural thing. Why don'tcha know how to do it? Show me a belly dance and I'll do the jig," Jack fired back, arms crossed over his chest.

"I never learned how to belly dance. Sorry," Daniel said sweetly. "And I don't have a dance-belly."

"That's just... childish," O'Neill growled.

"You're always telling me to be comfortable with the child in me. That everybody has a childish nature somewhere inside. Even Sam and Teal'c. Hey, you're playing the Yo-yo and you're using my Nintendo on a regular basis. You can do a jig. It won't spoil your bad reputation any further," Daniel assured him. 

"I'm not doing the jig," Jack said firmly.

"You draw stick figures in meetings," Daniel said.

"And you are juggling oranges, balls, pens, ... umm... anything, sir," Sam added sweetly.

"Nobody will ever know. It's just us," Daniel coaxed. 

"I have brought a CD from your collection. It contains several Irish and Scottish folk songs. DanielJacksonO'Neill assured me this one would be appropriate."

"That's not in my collection, for crying out loud," Jack demanded.

"Yeah it is. You got it for your birthday once. I think it's from..."

"Cassie," Sam recalled. "Yes. I know. She was very happy to find something that... how did she put it? Represents your heritage. I think it was when she wanted to become an anthropologist like Daniel. She was all into different Earth cultures and explored all our ancestors' history."

"Come on, Jack," Daniel grinned. "You're a brave guy. You can do it."

Jack grabbed the CD Teal'c was holding out for him and studied the tracks. "There's only one way to do this," he finally said with a straight face. "You'll have to help me out here. I can't do it alone. And get those table and chair outta the way."

Sam and Daniel looked at each other. Was it worth partaking in this to see the colonel do an Irish jig? You bet!

Sam and Teal'c started moving the furniture aside while Jack popped the CD into the player. Daniel slumped down on the couch, watching all of this and trying to keep the giggles inside.

"Right. Line up there. You, too, Daniel. We'll try this without music first," Jack ordered. "There's seven steps you got to remember. It's all based on those seven steps. Daniel - stop fidgeting. Carter, don't stand on attention. You've got to be relaxed in your knees to do this. Teal'c, you don't need to hold your hands behind your back. Put them at your side... oh, and by the way, if you tell anyone I did this, I have to shoot ya. Clear?"

"Yes, sir," Sam and Daniel called out, then giggled. Well, Daniel giggled. Sam just tried not to choke on her laughter. Teal'c bowed his head.

O'Neill sighed. "The things you make me do... O-kay. Here we go."

Daniel tried to listen to Jack's voice at the same time as he followed the instructions. Jack told them to raise their right foot up to the left knee, then spring on their right foot and to move to their right side for seven steps... they only managed five before they all bumped into each other...

"Daniel, you're hopping like a rabid bunny there. And Teal'c, this is a dance, not a march. Carter? Is there something wrong with your breathing? You look a little blue." Jack shamelessly teased them, not cracking a smile.

"Should it not be you who is doing the dancing, O'Neill," Teal'c wondered.

"Yeah, well, it's a group dance. You all have to come along for the ride. Since we're a team and all that."

Sam sat down on the coffee table and brushed her blond hair out of her face. "Sure. But you're the CO. You know, showing us might work better than telling us what to do. It's like giving hand to hand combat lessons. You don't just explain them, you also DO them."

Daniel took a place next to her. "She has a point, Jack."

"I agree," Teal'c confirmed.

"I did tell you. All you had to do was doing what I said," Jack protested, the whine now audible in his voice. He sat on the couch again and glared at them.

Daniel walked over to his friend, feeling a little sorry all of a sudden. He just realized how he would have reacted if somebody had made him sing 'Ding Dong the Witch is dead' again. Now that he was little it would seem to be even more embarrassing. If Jack really didn't want to do this they shouldn't force him to. He knew that deep inside Jack was proud of his Irish heritage though and that he could do that jig pretty well. His grandma had taught him and his brothers when they'd been kids.

"Jack?" 

"What? I've done my part. Now, let's see how much you like being dared, Daniel," Jack grumbled. 

"Uh, I'd... rather..."

"Aht aht! Be afraid, be very afraid. Choose dare."

"Jack, you can't force me to choose dare," Daniel complained. 

"Well you can't ally with T and set me up," Jack fired back, a hurt look on his face.

"Uhh, okay... dare. Not singing."

"Nope, not singing. But rephrasing..."

"Jack..."

"... a rhyme you remember from your childhood. In English."

Daniel thought for a moment and then rattled off, "Tweedledum and Tweedledee, resolved to have a battle, for Tweedledum said Tweedledee had spoiled his nice new rattle. Just then flew by a monstrous crow, as big as a tar barrel, which frightened both our heroes so they quite forgot their quarrel. I remember my mom reading Alice in Wonderland to me. It was one of the few English story books I had. I don't know if this part belongs to the book or if it was just a rhyme from elsewhere."

"Aw, I remember that one," Sam chimed in. "My dad used to read it to us. I liked Humpty Dumpty and the Cheshire cat." 

"There are a lot of stories for children here. On Chulak we tell our children stories of great warriors and battles. And of course from the heroic wars our gods were battling in. Those who believe in the false gods still teach their children the myths and legends they had been taught as children as well," Teal'c said.

The rest of the afternoon they just sat and talked. Jack stopped being grumpy about his Irish jig and even shared a few Irish jokes. One or two he had to explain to Teal'c, which was more hilarious than the jokes themselves. Daniel wondered if Teal'c really didn't understand them or was just yanking their chain. But it didn't matter. It was fun. 

Outside the rain had almost stopped. Daniel knelt on the couch and looked at the house. Everything looked so clean after a long rain. Even the grass. Soon Sam and Teal'c gathered their jackets and said their good byes. 

Once they were alone, Jack took another cookie and stretched his long legs out in front of him. He tipped his head back and stared at the raindrops that were still running down the window. "So Tweedledee. What has gotten into you, making me dance that jig?"

Daniel plopped his head down in Jack's lap, his feet dangling over the armrest of the couch. "I dunno. I thought it would be fun. Did we make you mad?"

Jack's calloused hand played with strands of his hair as he looked down at him. For a moment he seemed to try to keep an annoyed expression, but then his brown eyes softened and he shook his head. "Nah. It's just... I haven't done this in a while. And I'm not sure Carter and T need to know I can do it."

"Why not? They are family."

"Last time I did this..." Jack trailed off. "It's a thing between us."

"Oh." Suddenly Daniel got very still. After a stretch of pregnant silence he continued. "I know. The last time you did it, I was still big and we... I'm sorry, Jack. I didn't mean to bring up those memories. It's just,” he took a deep breath, "I only remembered the fun I had watching you. And I wanted to get even with you for making me sing that witch song. And for making me tell that stupid ice cream story."

Jack continued to fiddle with his hair. "It was one of those things we had to keep between us. But you're right. We don't have to hide anything anymore. You wanna listen to that music? I remember there are some great songs on that CD." He gently nudged Daniel to move and then bent forward to start the player. When the Irish music filled the room with a female melancholic voice, they sat back the way they were before.

For a while they just listened to the music. Suddenly Jack said, "Hey, remember that song 'Danny-boy'?"

"Oh god. Yeah, I do. I also remember you singing it under the showers."

"Hey. You weren't supposed to hear that," Jack muttered, blushing slightly.

Daniel snickered. "I'll make you sing it next time we play Truth or Dare."

"Oh yeah? That's what you think," Jack snorted. Then he asked, "Hey, wanna hear an Irish blessing?" 

"Sure."

"Let me see if I remember it right." He cleared his throat. "Okay, here goes; Always remember to forget the things that made you sad. But never forget to remember the things that made you glad. Always remember to forget the friends that proved untrue. But never forget to remember those that have stuck by you. Always remember to forget the troubles that passed away. But never forget to remember the blessings that come each day."

Jack's voice was low and the rain started again outside mingling with the music. Daniel let out a content sigh. "That was... beautiful."

"My grandma had all kinds of blessings at hand. She used to say them all the time. Mom said she was driving her crazy," Jack said.

  
  


Much later that evening Jack said good night to Daniel, pulled the covers over him and ruffled his hair as he did every night.

"Jack? You know we still have things that are only between us. Like you tucking me in at nights," Daniel yawned.

"That's right. Sleep tight. " Jack planted a quick kiss on his forehead. "I love ya, buddy."

And as the rain sung its lullaby, Daniel fell asleep. 

 


End file.
